At least 1 student has been shot dead, and about seven persons have been feared injured as Students of Plateau State Polytechnic on Monday staged a protest over the postponement of their semester examinations by the school authorities.

Afrolic gathered that the protest which was meant to be peaceful was hijacked by hoodlums as few cars had their windscreens destroyed.

As early as 8 am in the morning the students trooped out in large numbers and blocked the Yakubu Gowon way, a major highway leading into and out of Jos.
Our correspondent gathered that the postponement of the examination was as a result of an indefinite strike embarked upon by the lecturers of the institution as the lecturers had issued a notice of strike to the government over what they called its inability to meet their demands of earned allowances and other sundry issues.

Speaking to our correspondent Mr. Tindak Teophilius a student of the Plateau Polytechnic said about 7 of their students are currently receiving treatment in a hospital in Jos. he said some of them were Asthmatic patients who could not stand the teargas fired to disperse the students.
He described the decision of the management to postpone the examination as an attempt to truncate their academic journey.

“

We came to school this morning to start our examinations only to see a circular that our lecturers have been on strike since Friday.
“We were not informed; nobody said anything to us we just discovered that we cannot start our examinations.
“This is why students were protesting.
“We have spent over three years in just one semester owing to Covid-19 lockdown, but largely due to the various strikes embarked upon by our lecturers.
“We keep paying for our accommodation, school fees, and other expenses. More so, we are getting old and by the time we graduate, we can’t find jobs because of age,”

John lamented.

Another student, Pam Bulus decried the incessant strike by their lecturers, adding that the development has stagnated their academic progression.

“Nobody has come to address us on the issue and we feel this is not right.“We demand a proper explanation from the management on why we cannot start our examinations today.“We are tired of this back and forth; our academic journey is suffering and this is not good for us,” he decried.

Efforts to reach Mr. John Ramadan of the Public Relations Department of the institution at the time of sending this report were abortive.

It could be recalled that the Plateau state government recently said that the ban on public processions by whatever guise and name is still in force particularly at this time that the State is still nursing its wounds from the recent attacks that affected some parts of the State.

The State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Dan Manjang who gave this hint in Jos recently said while Plateau state Government acknowledges and respects the right of citizens to peaceful protest and advised Parents to rein in their wards and continue to support the Government in working for the restoration of total normalcy to the state

Meanwhile, reactions have trailed the shooting which caused panic among the protesters. Following the incident, the National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS) in a press statement, demanded immediate sanction on trigger happy soldiers or face the wrath of Nigerian students.

In response to the incident, the plateau state government confirmed the death of one of the students in a press statement.

PRESS RELEASE
UPDATE ON PLATEAU POLYTECHNIC PROTESTS; PLATEAU GOVERNMENT CONDEMNS KILLING OF STUDENT, ORDERS INVESTIGATION
Recall that the Plateau State Government issued a Press Statement on Monday 20th September 2021 to throw more light on the protests by students of the Plateau State Polytechnic Barkin Ladi who blocked the main highway into the State from both the main campus and the Jos campus respectively.
In the statement, background was given as to the reasons for the student protests which were triggered by an Industrial Action by the Polytechnic's unions to press home their demands despite the fact that exams were slated to start same day (20th September 2021).
As at the time the last Press statement was issued which was shortly after the Deputy Governor Prof. Sonni Gwanle Tyoden met with the unions, school management and student union representatives to resolve the matter, there was no reported death as a result of the protests, apart from some students that were injured and taken to hospital for treatment.
However, the Government has today regretably received the sad news from the Police of the death of one of the students who was said to have been hit by a stray bullet and taken to hospital for treatment but could not survive.
This is a very sad development which the Government totally condemns and has therefore directed an immediate and thorough investigation to be conducted into the circumstances leading to the death of the student.
While commiserating with the family of the deceased student, the Government assures that it will not spare anyone found culpable in the death of the student as it is determined to ensure that justice is done.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Governor has directed a Government delegation to visit the family of the deceased student to sympathise with them over the sad and unfortunate situation.
Hon. Dan Manjang
Commissioner for Information and Communication, Plateau State.
21st September 2021.

Lalasticlala Mynd44

https://www.sunnewsonline.com/plateau-govt-confirms-death-in-polytechnic-student-protest/

Reactions

Lalasticlala

Nigeria HARMy why na? It is not JOStifiable to be puking stunts on innocent students who are already passing through hell in the name of being educated. Sad!

Nothing new here... This is the only occasion they display their bravado... against defenceless civilians. Begs the question why anyone should feel sympathy for these animals in uniform when they get suyanized by ISWAP and ESN?

The white man has repeatedly argued that the entire black world is not due for self-governance and we keep proving them right with our actions, statements and inaction.

Sad!

Himmm,this country taya me.

bleeped up race. yes the black race

Lalasticlala, that is how events keeps happening in Plateau State and it never gets to the mainstream media, you will not move this one to fp now